Disappointment in India…speculation on Rabigh

By Malini Hariharan (Malini is now joint blogger for Asian Chemical Connections)

The 17 Nov public hearing arranged by the Indian government at Delhi to discuss provisional anti dumping duties levied on PP imports from Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Oman was postponed at the very last minute causing a great deal frustration among lawyers and industry executives who had flown in from out of the country.

The hearing was postponed because of bereavement in the family of the government bureaucrat heading the hearing. Efforts to get another bureaucrat proved to be futile. A new date has yet to be set but I am told it should be soon.

And I have received some information from Japan on the likely candidates for the Rabigh party. One of the products being considered by Petro Rabigh for its second phase is superabsorbent polymers (SAP). As Sumitomo Chemical does not have technology for this product, it is rumoured that Nippon Shokubai or Sumitomo Seika could be joining Petro Rabigh for this project.